ENGLISH DEYEA NEWS

By MIN LWIN | The chief Air Force base in Burma, Mingalardon Air Force Base, has been ordered to relocate to Seikpyingone in Meiktila Township in central Burma, according to sources at Mingalardon Air Force Base.

“We got the order in late November to relocate to the new Air Force base from the military office in Naypyidaw,” said the source.

The source said that family members of Air Force personal will also resided at the new Air Force base in Seikpyingone.

Military sources in Rangoon said that in June the junta leader, Snr-Gen Than Shwe, appointed his son-in-law, Col Thein Naing, the commanding officer at Mingaladon Air Force Base.

Observers in Rangoon pointed out that the position is one of considerable importance, as commanders at the base usually advance to the post of Air Force commander-in-chief.

Military sources in Rangoon said that since 2006, the ruling military council has also upgraded Air Force facilities and has created two new Air Force bases in Magwe, the capital of Magwe Division, and Bassein in Irrawaddy Division.

Mingaladon Air Base was formed in 1950. Recently, it had MiG-29 fighters, G-4 aircraft, and PC-9 and PC-7 squadrons. In 2006, the military government transferred squadrons of G-4 aircraft to Bassein Air Force Base in Irrawaddy Division and PC-9 and PC-7 squadrons were transferred to Magwe Air Force Base in Magwe Division.

In late 2007, eight MiG-29 fighter planes were transferred to the Flight Training Base in Shante in Meiktila Township in central Burma. Four MiG-29 planes now stationed at Mingaladon Air Base headquarter in Rangoon will transfer to the new base in Seikpyingone.

The maintenance air base in Mingaladon, and the Hmawbi Air Force Base in Hmawbi Township will remain in Rangoon, the former capital.

The Burmese Air Force was formed in 1947 after Burma gained its independence from British rule. The Air Force was involved in counter campaigns against the Burma Community Party and several ethnic minority armies for several decades.

Burma has ten Air Force Base headquarters: Bassein Air Base, Mingaladon Air Base, Myitkyina Air Base, Myike Air Base, Namsang Air Base, Taungoo Air Base, Meikhtila (Shante) Flying Training Base, Meikthila Grounding Training Base, Magwe Air Base and the Homemalin Air base.